Quitting yet again n need Social Support This Time

This is my third try (this time} to quit, on march 1, after having been dx w emphysema and congestive heart failure in October 2016. My longest previous quit was in 2007, and lasted exactly 90 days, until i got hit by a car while out in my wheelchair getting ice cream to celebrate 3 months smoke free. This time, my relapses were also stress-related, election night, and then, getting assaulted for the third time and my chair completely disabled by someone yanking out the motor cord. i've identified my weakness in my quit plan: i have zero social support, especially when i have extremely stressful situations occur. I am severely disabled from a car wreck in 2005, then getting hit by a car in 2007 as a pedestrian. As a result, i pretty much live as a shut-in, seeing only my caregivers, who both smoke, and are not there for 'personal' support, and medical personnel. i do some volunteer work, but it isn't appropriate for me to bring up my personal issues with the clients at the drop-in center, obviously. so after searching and searching, and finding that the local stop smoking monthly group had shut down, i finally found this site. Hopefully, i can actually make it this time. It's not dying i'm afraid of. my life isn't worth very much, as a shut in with no family, who produces nothing substantial. It's the suffocation i hate. And the waste of time and money.

To EX You have come to the right place for support. I am very sorry for all the traumatic experiences you have had to endure.. Here you will learn taht no matter what is going on in your life you do not have to smoke.

Start First, by educating yourself about nicotine addiction.Education is the key to a successful quit.

The social support you look for is here! Make like a sponge on soak up all the information here you can! I would also suggest that you address the caregiver situation quick! You have made it 90 days before, so you know you can do this!

We are here for you, the best way to have a successful quit is to become educated about nicotine addiction, to have a support system like EX, and to plan for your quit. It sounds like you really have had a number of tough times but smoking is just going to make everything worse. Believe me, I hear you about the not being afraid of dying but the suffocation thing is horrendous. It is terrifying to feel like you can't breathe. Look for the COPD Group, Thomas3.20.2010 has all kinds of information for those of us with COPD and it's incredibly helpful. You cannot be over educated or over prepared. Start tracking your cigarettes and write down your triggers and how strong they are and then plan for what you will do instead of smoking when you do quit. It was a lifesaver for me. Just the tracking made me realize how many times I just lit a cigarette without thinking and those were the easiest ones to eliminate. It was the first thing in the morning, driving, and talking on the phone that got me. I had to plan for those things. I smoked for 47 years and now have over 3 years quit. I have COPD and severe RA with degenerative disc disease. I live with chronic pain but I am able to be somewhat active. I have family nearby and friends and I have EX. I have made many friendships on this site and the support is invaluable. Read blogs, get to know the people here and how they overcame difficult times, it will help you more than you can imagine.

Well, here's a great big cyber hug for you. but you certainly came to the right place. There's someone here at all hours of the day and night. You can write as much as you want or as little. Snoop around on people's profiles by clicking on their name or picture and go to content and read some of their stuff. Some go back as far as 2009 or so, perhaps even before. Welcome !!!

With all you have been dealt and you still volunteer? I would say your life DOES have value! I am in admiration of you for that. I think those you help also think your life has value!

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read.

As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. . You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this site

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort. I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for three reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, and 3) the batteries can spontaneously catch on fire. . But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different.

You need to distract yourself through any craves. You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time. You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits. Get busy! Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?" Then DO it. You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

H! I hope you join the COPD Group! And I do have dozens of articles about copd. To get there you click on my picture and when you get to my page click on contents and when you get to that list type copd in the search window. Oh, what the heck! That's way too complicated. Just tell us what you want to say and if you feel like it ask questions! We'll find you!

So glad to have you join our community. If it's support you want....you've come to the right place. I don't want to argue with you as we have just "met" but I think your life is certainly worth something. Life always has worth....we may just not see it at the time. I am sure the people at the center where you volunteer think your life has worth; and, I imagine that if you stay with us, you will give as well as get support. That makes your life worth something.

I will start with welcome to the best site for support you were looking for!

Then I would move to the second point " this is my third try". Can we make this " this is my last quit journey". Don't call it a try, the mindset your are entering this journey makes a huge difference in how easy or difficult it would be to walk the path to freedom.

And if you feel (and you already are doing volunteer work) you want to contribute and make a positive difference in so many people's lives, please stay with us as an EX-smoker, blog every day, several times/day if needed, and you will be changing lives for the better, while working on yourself and bettering your own health.

This is a platform many of us are crediting for staying EX-smokers, by staying close, listening to others, sharing our own experiences, helping others and helping ourselves.

Please start with the reading recommended to you, being educated about our common addiction makes a big impact, gets you ready to face challenges along the way, be prepared for the different stages of the recovery.

Many of us have been smokers for a long time, and we are able to remain Ex-smokers with the help of the community!

Welcome PirateQueen ,you have come to the right place I'm so sorry for everything you are going through but we're all here for you and your quit, believe in yourself, be willing, determined and totally committed and be sure to read the links that's above me there's a wealth of information here to strengthen your resolve to quit and remain quit.

Hi PirateQueen. Very glad you are here. I hope that if your PCA's both smoke that you are able to claim some some smoke-free space to yourself. If you need an advocate, maybe one of your medical care providers can help you find one, or someone on staff where you volunteer. If you want more info about what to do, please let me know.

Like you, I sacrificed my quit years ago because of circumstances I thought I just couldn't handle alone. It took me years to trust myself enough to try again. When I finally did, I found a way, with help from this site and people here. I have now been quit almost 6 years. We've got your back now. You can do this.

I've been ill last few days, and not online, sleeping tons. So i am sorry i haven't been replying to your awesome suggestions n replies. Now complicated by pain med withdrawals. Since my chair is broken, due to the vandalism, i need to have someone take me to pick up my script in Portland, and haven't been able to get a ride in. Hopefully, today i can get a ride. i'v been reading and soaking up info. and as for caregivers, they do not smoke in my home, but i smell it on them, especially after their breaks, and they are not hugely invested in me quitting, ie misery (smoking) loves company...

Because of the withdrawals, i have decided to put off my tobacco quit until i'm back on my meds. i really don't think i can deal with both at same time, honestly. I'm still reading and preparing and tracking cigarettes. Also tapering down using distractions and other coping skills, but the pain med withdrawals are pretty overwhelming to deal with at times, not mentally, but physically. it's like having a really severe flu plus bad skin crawlies, so you can't ever get comfortable.

Thank you for all the support i am still committed to my quit! I will be using combo of gum n lozenges. i'm allergic to the adhesive in the patches.

Hello and welcome to EX! I am sorry to hear about your troubles and now that you are sick, I hope you get that ride for your meds. soon! I can really relate to no meds and no ride. I am glad you haven't stopped preparing to quit! I have seen you all around the site, that in itself is a huge accomplishment! Keep us posted about your quit and holler if you have any questions! ~Terrie~